Leaders in the House of Representatives are continuing their crusade against women and the American people by threatening to shut down the government unless the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive coverage policy is delayed for a year. The measure would give bosses the power to decide whether the women who work with them should receive a health benefit guaranteed under the new law that is proven to prevent unplanned pregnancies and improve quality of life. The following is a statement by NARAL Pro-Choice America President Ilyse Hogue:

“It is unconscionable that elected officials in the House will shut down the entire government in order to force women to seek permission from their bosses to get the contraception coverage benefit in Obamacare. Women's access to the health care that gives us tools we need to plan our families and our lives is not a bargaining chip, nor do we need to seek consent from our bosses or anyone else.

“American voters are fed up with the GOP playing politics with women's health. We have one message for the extremist minority attempting to use this moment to ram through their anti-women agenda: do your job and govern. We elected you to make the country a better place for all Americans, not play daddy to millions of adult women in this country who are more than equipped to make our own decisions and run our own lives. Pass a clean budget or you will alienate even more voters and do further damage to this country. I can't think of anything less patriotic than that."